President Joe Biden gave a fiery final farewell to the nation on Wednesday evening, attacking Donald Trump while praising his policies over the past four years.
The 82-year-old president has not shied away from attacking his political greatest enemy Trump, who will be sworn in as the 47th president in just five days.
Biden used his latest message to Americans, delivered from behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office, to warn the country about “some things that are of great concern to me.”
That included not-so-subtle jabs at Trump for saying the most “dangerous” concern is putting power in the hands of “a few ultra-rich people.”
“Today in America an oligarchy is taking shape with extreme wealth, power, and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our fundamental rights and freedoms, and a fair opportunity for all to advance.”
He also listed his most cherished achievements, including his infrastructure bill, clean energy initiatives and pulling the country out of the COVID pandemic.
Top political pundits and speechwriters from the Republican and Democratic administrations were divided in their assessments of Biden’s final political performance.
Jonathan Bronitsky: ‘A hollowed out man’
Grade: C+
“Biden seemed relaxed,” said ATHOS co-founder and CEO Jonathan Bronitsky.
That’s probably because he has “received sufficient rest and hidden from the press, the American people and the world” in recent months.
President Joe Biden delivers his farewell address to the nation from the Oval Office
Jill Biden watches as Joe speaks
Bronitsky, who was also the chief speechwriter for Trump’s Attorney General Bill Barr, said Biden’s early anecdote about the Statue of Liberty was “moving” but made clear it was not written by him.
“Even his progressive speechwriters seemed to have run out of energy,” he continued.
“After a second Trump victory and more than 77 million votes, they couldn’t muster a desperate burst of fire.”
Bronitsky said the speech, which should have been delivered two or four years ago, had no meaning.
“He took credit for things he didn’t do, lied about achievements that never happened and exaggerated the challenges his government had supposedly overcome.”
And Biden’s 82 years on Earth were on full display as he “fumbled, bumbled and stumbled” his way through them.
‘This summary of a political career is nothing short of tragic. Social studies classes teach us that elected office is a noble pursuit, but this is what it ends up in: a hollowed-out man looking at a teleprompter and struggling to spit out someone else’s words.”
David Litt: ‘Biden warned us’
Grade: A
David Litt, former President Obama’s senior speechwriter, told DailyMail.com that Biden’s oligarchy warning was critical.
It will be seen as one of his “last acts of public service to the country he loved and fought for all his life.”
Biden used his latest message to Americans from behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office to warn the country about ‘some things that are of great concern to me’
“George Washington used his farewell address to warn America of the dangers of faction,” he explained.
“Dwight D. Eisenhower warned us about the dangers of the military-industrial complex. And Joe Biden warned us about the dangers of oligarchy.”
Litt said that “MAGA commentators” “will undoubtedly regard Biden’s words with the class and basic decency for which they are known.”
“But the rest of America — including the America that voted for Trump but still feared he would be too extreme if elected — won’t be so vocal.”
He says there are signs that Trump’s “buyer’s remorse” is already manifesting with his “radical and unqualified” cabinet choices – such as Pete Hegseth.
‘In retrospect, the warnings from Washington and Eisenhower came too late. Was Biden delivered just in time? That’s for us, not him, to decide.’
Jessica Anderson: ‘He’s sleepwalking’
Grade: F
Jessica Anderson, president of Sentinel Action Fund, told DailyMail.com that the president “appears to be sleepwalking out of office.”
She said the farewell speech was nothing more than a “weak attempt to rewrite the history of his failed presidency.”
“Biden’s latest attempt to rehabilitate his historically low approval ratings and dismal record only reminded Americans why they elected President Trump and a Republican majority — to set our country on a new path and reverse the damage of Biden’s extreme to correct the leftist agenda.’
She went on to say that the speech will not ease the “pain and suffering caused by his policies” and looks forward to the Republican Party taking over in Washington.
Joel Payne: ‘Biden surprised us’
Quality: A-
Democratic strategist Joel Payne said Biden “surprised us” with his performance tonight.
“I think a lot of Democrats will be pleasantly surprised by the way Joe Biden showed up tonight,” he told DailyMail.com.
Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, Vice President Kamala Harris and First Lady Jill Biden listen to President Joe Biden
Hunter Biden (far right) also came to watch his father’s latest political speech
That’s because he didn’t simply “make a laundry list of his achievements,” but instead “gave purpose and meaning to the moment.”
He clearly defined the “battle ahead,” he continued.
“I think it will be well received that Joe Biden is issuing a kind of call to arms, a very clear gauntlet for his political opposition, but perhaps more importantly, for his political allies and for the American people about what lies ahead.”
“I think he made headlines by defining the political battlefield of the moment. I thought he did a great job, and I think his speech will be well received by people who might not have expected much from it.”